Q. Will you commit to assuring: (1) that within the first six months of your term of office a Strategic Plan will be developed for the City of Newport, complete with measurable long and short term goals; (2) that the Plan will be publicized; and (3) that a public report of progress towards the goals will be made at least semi-annually? If no, explain why not.
A. This Council has met on Saturdays to work on measurable goals, both long and short term. The public was invited to the meetings. It is up to the media to publicize the progress once the City Manager has released the information. One of the goals was to improve public participation and to ask the City Manager to work with the media to give updates on Council issues. I am in favor of the public being part of the process with their input included.
Q. Around the U.S., state and local governments are turning to 401(k) plans to help moderate their pension funding problems. Would you support standing firm for a 401(k) pension plan for all new hires in future city worker union negotiations and for all newly hired city workers not covered by union contracts. Explain your response.
A. I think that this country is in big trouble with finances. Newport and Rhode Island are part of this scenario. If new-hires are made aware of what the “rules” or “benefits” are, then I see no problem with implementing 401(K) plans. It would make people responsible for their own earnings. This works well for those who are “savers” or good investors.
The downside is that the economy of the last year+ has shown that the market blew apart. Investments have tanked throughout the U.S. –the end result being that people who have saved their money and invested well are now getting much less than they planned for to live on. For example, if investments were paying 5-7% on average as income, and are now paying 1%...the income has dramatically fallen---how will people live? People on fixed incomes are having a difficult time now.
What happens if people have no savings or income at retirement? Who will support them? Welfare may run rampant. People/Workers need to have stable investments. Maybe teaching good fiscal/financial strategies should be a requirement to the 401(K) programs that should be implemented.
Q. More than $1 million has been spent on Bellevue Avenue repairs, yet these repairs already are rapidly deteriorating. What should be done about this situation?
A. I have been on top of this issue for months. Communication and emails have been flying among me, the Bellevue Ochre Point Association, and City Administration/Staff. This week a resolution forcing the issue is being discussed on the docket. Steve Waluk and I have added the item to the docket to try and resolve the issue. City taxpayers need to know WHY the road materials have failed. The City should work to re-coop the funds. Bad work, either in contract specifications or workmanship should not be rewarded. Someone should pay. One Million + Dollars should not be wasted. It is shameful. Maybe the engineering element is at fault. The Newport Bridge had the same contractor (Aetna) with the same results, it seems.) I am a person who believes and fights for accountability---in my own purse and that of the taxpayers.
Q. Newport must meet Clean Water Act requirements that impose approximately $100 million in new capital projects for water and sewer improvements. How do you propose to fund these mandates?
A. That is the big question for all. The City has applied for and received both federal and state funds. This is not even close to what our financial needs are. We need to prioritize how we spend money—this is part of it. I voted against the UV at Memorial Blvd. for a variety of reasons that one can read about on my website. Anyone interested in knowing more, may contact me at 401.849.4818.
Q. How would you improve relations between Newport's City Council and School Committee?
A. This perception of bad relations has been going on for years. The City can do no more than give the School Committee a budget amount to work with. We have no line item veto. What the taxpayers can afford may not be what the School Committee thinks we can afford. We have State legal mandates on what the tax rate increase can be. Would we all like to give our kids everything? Indeed. Can we afford it? Probably not. I am a former educator with 27 years experience. I think that good teaching and successful learning are key in helping students to reach their full potential. Then America will gain also---the kids are our future.
Communication is how relations improve between the City Council and School Committee. It needs to continue.
Q. What measures would you support to assure the timely sale of released school properties?
A. First of all, the timely release of school properties and their disposal has not happened. Sheffield School was closed. An RFP was put out to bring in buyers. Only one entity was interested. The economy tanked. The building is still empty. We need to WOO businesses to Newport for our future—good jobs for the residents and good jobs to enable local people to return here to afford to come back “home.” We need a professional to put out the RFPs, in my opinion. The Planning and Zoning Department cannot do it. We need to go out and FIND the businesses to come here. I have said this repeatedly. Advertising for vacant land or buildings does not cut it. An example, what do we have in place for the land on Connell Highway---so far, only a micro-brewery that employs few with great high-paying jobs (nothing against the brewery—the City needed to be more pro-active to bring in the businesses with the help of professionals.
Q. There are a handful of properties in the City that are in serious physical disrepair constituting eyesores, hazards and lowering neighboring property values. What would you do to mitigate these situations effectively?
A. We have a system in place. The ordinances are addressing this. However, oftentimes, the courts step in and the process is long. Everyone SHOULD take care of his/her property. We should all be stewards of the properties, not only for our own use but to protect the neighborhoods and surrounding residents. I asked the City, via resolution, to look at the abandoned and inadequately maintained properties. The Planning Board came back saying that each property was an individual issue. We have moved forward using this format/plan to improve those buildings in need of repair.
Q. Noise has been an issue for the public for some time. How would you assure that progress is made in alleviating this livability problem?
A. We have made progress. When I first took office in 1995, there was a much worse problem. Part-time weekend zoning officers were hired to allow the city to check noise disturbances with noise meters, to check for over-crowding (zoning issue); to work with the state on housing issues (i.e. 5 unrelated people per unit); etc. Can we still make improvements? Of course. The big issue is enforcement. Residents need to call the police when noise goes unchecked. The police need to respond. We are working on this—it is an on-going issue.
Q. What are the two most important issues the City Council will face over the next two years? What specific actions will you propose to address those issues?
A. The two big issues, to me, are infrastructure needs and OPEB liability. The big questions are:
- What are the mandated requirements for infrastructure (clean water/ sewer discharges)
- How do we pay for these needs?
- How do we pay for the continued roadwork improvement beyond the bond issue that was passed and the capital budget?
- How do we insure that students have a clean and viable place to learn? Where does the funding come from? From what I recall, the Thompson Middle School was built promising that the funds from the sale of closed schools would be used to lower the loan liability. We cannot use the same money twice. The public needs to see in black and white what the costs are for keeping the present schools versus constructing a new elementary school. The public will decide.
Q. Do you believe that Newport should partner with other towns in Newport County to reduce costs for police and fire services and the roads? Yes No
A. Yes. If we can get consensus and negotiate these services , it would be wonderful and productive. It would give budget savings. A good start would be with shared services, i.e. billing services in each department; purchasing services, building maintenance, etc.
Q. Should this partnership extend to staffing? Yes No
A. It cannot be extended to staffing in RI with our present state laws. This needs to be partnering and working together.
Q Do you support regionalization of high schools? Yes No
Yes
(b) Of middle schools? Yes No
Yes. Thompson is not utilized to capacity. We should definitely look at this.
(c) Of elementary schools? Yes No
I am not sure. I do not think that young children should be on buses for extended periods of time. I personally like the concept of neighborhood schools, but this concept is expensive. I would have preferred that Carey School remain open—what if the School Bond fails? Where is Plan B? We may need Carey School.
Y
(d) Assuming regionalization, do you support municipal cost sharing based upon student economic levels? Yes No
Someone would have to explain this to me---how does it work? What are the criteria? I doubt that the other municipalities on Aquidneck Island would agree to this. Newport has many impoverished students.
Q. Do you support the Ballot Question to fund the proposed new elementary school? Yes No
A .I need more information --- in black and white.
Q. Do you support the proposal to close the Touro Street Fire Station? Yes No
A. The Touro Street Fire Station does not have ambulance/EMT service, never has that I remember. The issue is fire safety in serving the Hill area. Is safety compromised with fire equipment coming up from Marlboro Street if response time is greater? What is the time difference to get from Marlboro Street to a street in need? The Fire Marshal and City Manager need to present the Council with the FACTS. Emotion should not be a part of the decision.